Wisconsin transfer defensive lineman to exit portal, return to the Badgers

Wisconsin transfer defensive lineman to exit portal, return to the Badgers

Wisconsin transfer defensive lineman Jamel Howard is withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and will return to the Badgers, according to 247Sports’ Chris Hummer.

Howard is the second Wisconsin scholarship player to do so, joining wide receiver Trech Kekahuna. His return drops the number of Wisconsin transfer departures to 23 players (that including Xavier Lucas, who technically never entered the portal).

Related: Recapping Wisconsin football’s winter transfer portal movement

Howard rejoins Wisconsin with three years of eligibility remaining. He  signed with the program as a three-star recruit in the class of 2023. He was the No. 1,213 player in the class, No. 130 defensive lineman and No. 26 recruit from Illinois. He was one of the several Paul Chryst commits (June 2022) to recommit to the class after Luke Fickell’s hire.

His return is significant news for a defensive line that underwent significant transfer movement this offseason. James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal transferred to Illinois. The room added experienced transfers Parker Petersen (Tulane), Corey Walker (Western Michigan), Charles Perkins (UT-Martin) and Jay’Viar Suggs (LSU).

Howard slots in as a depth option in the room with a chance to win significant snaps after those veteran transfers graduate. He did not see the field on defense during his first two years with the program.

His return is also big news for Luke Fickell’s class of 2023, which faced having 12 of its 15 signees depart via the portal. Howard’s and Kekahuna’s return drop that number to 10. Those two are among five players that remain, joined by linebackers Christian Alliegro and Tyler Jansey and tight end Tucker Ashcraft.

For more on Wisconsin’s full transfer class and high-profile departures, check out our recap of the program’s winter portal window movement.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion